Core Academic Skills for Educators: Writing

Transcription

1 The Praxis Study Companion Core Academic Skills for Educators: Writing

2 Welcome to the Praxis Study Companion Welcome to The Praxis Study Companion Prepare to Show What You Know You have been working to acquire the knowledge and skills you need for your teaching career. Now you are ready to demonstrate your abilities by taking a Praxis test. Using The Praxis Series Study Companion is a smart way to prepare for the test so you can do your best on test day. This guide can help keep you on track and make the most efficient use of your study time. The Study Companion contains practical information and helpful tools, including: An overview of the Praxis tests Specific information on the Praxis test you are taking A template study plan Study topics Practice questions and explanations of correct answers Test-taking tips and strategies Frequently asked questions Links to more detailed information So where should you start? Begin by reviewing this guide in its entirety and note those sections that you need to revisit. Then you can create your own personalized study plan and schedule based on your individual needs and how much time you have before test day. Keep in mind that study habits are individual. There are many different ways to successfully prepare for your test. Some people study better on their own, while others prefer a group dynamic. You may have more energy early in the day, but another test taker may concentrate better in the evening. So use this guide to develop the approach that works best for you. Your teaching career begins with preparation. Good luck! Know What to Expect Which tests should I take? Each state or agency that uses the Praxis tests sets its own requirements for which test or tests you must take for the teaching area you wish to pursue. Before you register for a test, confirm your state or agency s testing requirements at How are the Praxis tests given? Praxis tests are given on computer. Other formats are available for test takers approved for accommodations (see page 50) The Praxis Study Companion 2

3 Welcome to the Praxis Study Companion What should I expect when taking the test on computer? When taking the test on computer, you can expect to be asked to provide proper identification at the test center. Once admitted, you will be given the opportunity to learn how the computer interface works (how to answer questions, how to skip questions, how to go back to questions you skipped, etc.) before the testing time begins. Watch the What to Expect on Test Day video to see what the experience is like. Where and when are the Praxis tests offered? You can select the test center that is most convenient for you. The Praxis tests are administered through an international network of test centers, which includes Prometric Testing Centers, some universities, and other locations throughout the world. Testing schedules may differ, so see the Praxis Web site for more detailed test registration information at www. ets.org/praxis/register. The Praxis Study Companion 3

4 Table of Contents Table of Contents The Praxis Study Companion guides you through the 10 steps to success 1. Learn About Your Test...5 Learn about the specific test you will be taking 2. Familiarize Yourself with Test Questions...9 Become comfortable with the types of questions you ll find on the Praxis tests 3. Practice with Sample Test Questions Answer practice questions and find explanations for correct answers 4. Determine Your Strategy for Success Set clear goals and deadlines so your test preparation is focused and efficient 5. Develop Your Study Plan Develop a personalized study plan and schedule 6. Review Smart Tips for Success Follow test-taking tips developed by experts 7. Check on Testing Accommodations See if you qualify for accommodations that may make it easier to take the Praxis test 8. Do Your Best on Test Day Get ready for test day so you will be calm and confident 9. Understand Your Scores Understand how tests are scored and how to interpret your test scores Appendix: Other Questions You May Have The Praxis Study Companion 4

5 Step 1: Learn About Your Test 1. Learn About Your Test Learn about the specific test you will be taking Core Academic Skills for Educators: Writing (5722) Test Name Test Code 5722 Time Number of Questions Format Test Delivery Test at a Glance Core Academic Skills for Educators: Writing 100 minutes, divided into a 40-minute selected-response section and two 30-minute essay sections 40 selected-response questions and two essay questions Selected-response questions involving usage, sentence correction, revision in context, and research skills; 2 essay topics as the basis for writing samples Computer delivered Approximate Approximate Content Categories Number of Percentage of Questions* Examination II I I. Text Types, Purposes, and Production 6 12 selected-response 60% 2 essay II. Language and Research Skills selected-response 40% for Writing * Includes both scored and unscored (pretest) questions. Depending on the number of pretest questions included in each scoring category, the total number of questions in that category may vary from one form of the test to another. Note: On your score report, points earned on the selected-response section of the test are reported separately from points earned on the essay sections of the test. About This Test The Core Academic Skills for Educators Test in Writing measures academic skills in writing needed to prepare successfully for a career in education. All skills assessed have been identified as needed for college and career readiness, in alignment with the Common Core State Standards for Writing. The Writing test is 100 minutes in length and has three separately timed sections: a 40-minute selectedresponse section containing 40 selected-response questions and two 30-minute essay sections that each require a response based on an essay topic. This test may contain some questions that will not count toward your score. The selected-response section is designed to measure examinees ability to use standard written English correctly and effectively. This section is divided into four parts: usage, sentence correction, revision in context, and research skills. In the usage questions, examinees are asked to recognize errors in mechanics, in structural The Praxis Study Companion 5

6 Step 1: Learn About Your Test and grammatical relationships, and in idiomatic expressions or word choice. They are also asked to recognize sentences that have no errors and that meet the conventions of standard written English. The sentence correction questions require examinees to select, from among the choices presented, the best way to restate a certain phrase or sentence by using standard written English; in some cases, the phrase or sentence is correct and most effective as stated. Examinees are not required to have a knowledge of formal grammatical terminology. In the revision-incontext questions, examinees are asked to recognize how a passage with which they are presented can be strengthened through editing and revision. Revisionin-context questions require examinees to consider development, organization, word choice, style, tone, and the conventions of standard written English. In some cases, the indicated portion of a passage will be most effective as it is already expressed and thus will require no changes. In the research skills questions, examinees are asked to recognize effective research strategies, recognize the different elements of a citation, recognize information relevant to a particular research task, and assess the credibility of sources. The two essays assess examinees ability to write effectively in a limited period of time. The Argumentative essay topic invites examinees to draw from personal experience, observation, or reading to support a position with specific reasons and examples. The Informative/Explanatory essay topic asks examinees to extract information from two provided sources to identify important concerns related to an issue. The topics for the Argumentative and Informative/ Explanatory essays attempt to present situations that are familiar to all educated people; no topic will require any specialized knowledge other than an understanding of how to write effectively in English. Examinees should write only on the topic assigned for each essay task, address all the points presented in the topic, and support generalizations with specific examples. For the Informative/Explanatory essay, examinees should also draw information from both sources, making sure to cite the source of the information. Before beginning to write each essay, examinees should read the topic and organize their thoughts carefully. Experienced teachers read and evaluate each essay holistically (i.e., with a single score for overall quality) under carefully controlled conditions designed to ensure fair and reliable scoring. Acknowledging that writing comprises a number of features that are not independent of one another, scorers base their judgments on an assessment of such features as quality of insight or central idea, clarity, consistency of point of view, cohesiveness, strength and logic of supporting information, rhetorical force, appropriateness of diction and syntax, and correctness of mechanics and usage. In addition, for the Informative/Explanatory essay, scorers will also evaluate the examinees ability to synthesize information from the provided sources and to cite this information in the essay. Topics Covered Representative descriptions of topics covered in each category are provided below. I. Text Types, Purposes, and Production A. Text Production: Writing Arguments 1. Produce an argumentative essay to support a claim using relevant and sufficient evidence 2. Write clearly and coherently a. address the assigned task appropriately for an audience of educated adults b. organize and develop ideas logically, making coherent connections between them c. provide and sustain a clear focus or thesis d. use supporting reasons, examples, and details to develop clearly and logically the ideas presented e. demonstrate facility in the use of language and the ability to use a variety of sentence structures f. construct effective sentences that are generally free of errors in standard written English The Praxis Study Companion 6

7 Step 1: Learn About Your Test B. Text Production: Writing Informative/ Explanatory Texts 1. Produce an informative/explanatory essay to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content a. write clearly and coherently b. address the assigned task appropriately for an audience of educated adults c. draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis d. organize and develop ideas logically, making coherent connections between them e. synthesize information from multiple sources on the subject f. integrate and attribute information from multiple sources on the subject, avoiding plagiarism g. provide and sustain a clear focus or thesis h. demonstrate facility in the use of language and the ability to use a variety of sentence structures i. construct effective sentences that are generally free of errors in standard written English C. Text Production: Revision 1. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by revising and editing a. recognize how a passage can be strengthened through editing and revision apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts and to make effective choices for meaning or style > > choose words and phrases for effect > > choose words and phrases to convey ideas precisely > > maintain consistency in style and tone II. Language and Research Skills for Writing A. Language Skills 1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage a. grammatical relationships recognize and correct: errors in the use of adjectives and adverbs errors in noun-noun agreement errors in pronoun-antecedent agreement errors in pronoun case errors in the use of intensive pronoun errors in pronoun number and person vague pronouns errors in subject-verb agreement inappropriate shifts in verb tense b. structural relationships recognize and correct: errors in the placement of phrases and clauses within a sentence misplaced and dangling modifiers errors in the use of coordinating and subordinating conjunctions fragments and run-ons errors in the use of correlative conjunctions errors in parallel structure c. word choice recognize and correct: errors in the use of idiomatic expressions errors in the use of frequently confused words wrong word use redundancy d. No Error recognize: sentences free of errors in the conventions of standard English grammar and usage 2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization and punctuation a. mechanics recognize and correct:: errors in capitalization errors in punctuation > > commas (e.g., the use of a comma to separate an introductory element from the rest of the sentence) > > semicolons (e.g., the use of a semicolon [and perhaps a conjunctive adverb] to link two or more closely related independent clauses) The Praxis Study Companion 7

8 Step 1: Learn About Your Test > > apostrophes (e.g., the use of an apostrophe to form contractions and frequently occurring possessives) b. no errror recognize sentences free of errors in the conventions of standard English capitalization and punctuation B. Research Skills 1. Recognize and apply appropriate research skills and strategies a. assess the credibility and relevance of sources b. recognize the different elements of a citation c. recognize effective research strategies d. recognize information relevant to a particular research task The Praxis Study Companion 8

9 Step 2: Familiarize Yourself with Test Questions 2. Familiarize Yourself with Test Questions Become comfortable with the types of questions you ll find on the Praxis tests The Praxis Series assessments include a variety of question types: constructed response (for which you write a response of your own); selected response, for which you select one or more answers from a list of choices or make another kind of selection (e.g., by clicking on a sentence in a text or by clicking on part of a graphic); and numeric entry, for which you enter a numeric value in an answer field. You may be familiar with these question formats from taking other standardized tests. If not, familiarize yourself with them so you don t spend time during the test figuring out how to answer them. Understanding Computer-Delivered Questions Questions on computer-delivered tests are interactive in the sense that you answer by selecting an option or entering text on the screen. If you see a format you are not familiar with, read the directions carefully. The directions always give clear instructions on how you are expected to respond. For most questions, you respond by clicking an oval to select a single answer from a list of options. However, interactive question types may also ask you to respond by: Clicking more than one oval to select answers from a list of options. Typing in an entry box. When the answer is a number, you may be asked to enter a numerical answer. Some questions may have more than one place to enter a response. Clicking check boxes. You may be asked to click check boxes instead of an oval when more than one choice within a set of answers can be selected. Clicking parts of a graphic. In some questions, you will select your answers by clicking on a location (or locations) on a graphic such as a map or chart, as opposed to choosing your answer from a list. Clicking on sentences. In questions with reading passages, you may be asked to choose your answers by clicking on a sentence (or sentences) within the reading passage. Dragging and dropping answer choices into targets on the screen. You may be asked to select answers from a list of options and drag your answers to the appropriate location in a table, paragraph of text or graphic. Selecting options from a drop-down menu. You may be asked to choose answers by selecting options from a drop-down menu (e.g., to complete a sentence). Remember that with every question you will get clear instructions. Perhaps the best way to understand computer-delivered questions is to view the Computer-delivered Testing Demonstration on the Praxis Web site to learn how a computer-delivered test works and see examples of some types of questions you may encounter. The Praxis Study Companion 9

10 Step 2: Familiarize Yourself with Test Questions Understanding Selected-Response Questions Many selected-response questions begin with the phrase which of the following. Take a look at this example: Which of the following is a flavor made from beans? (A) Strawberry (B) Cherry (C) Vanilla (D) Mint How would you answer this question? All of the answer choices are flavors. Your job is to decide which of the flavors is the one made from beans. Try following these steps to select the correct answer. 1) Limit your answer to the choices given. You may know that chocolate and coffee are also flavors made from beans, but they are not listed. Rather than thinking of other possible answers, focus only on the choices given ( which of the following ). 2) Eliminate incorrect answers. You may know that strawberry and cherry flavors are made from fruit and that mint flavor is made from a plant. That leaves vanilla as the only possible answer. 3) Verify your answer. You can substitute vanilla for the phrase which of the following and turn the question into this statement: Vanilla is a flavor made from beans. This will help you be sure that your answer is correct. If you re still uncertain, try substituting the other choices to see if they make sense. You may want to use this technique as you answer selected-response questions on the practice tests. Try a more challenging example The vanilla bean question is pretty straightforward, but you ll find that more challenging questions have a similar structure. For example: Entries in outlines are generally arranged according to which of the following relationships of ideas? (A) Literal and inferential (B) Concrete and abstract (C) Linear and recursive (D) Main and subordinate You ll notice that this example also contains the phrase which of the following. This phrase helps you determine that your answer will be a relationship of ideas from the choices provided. You are supposed to find the choice that describes how entries, or ideas, in outlines are related. Sometimes it helps to put the question in your own words. Here, you could paraphrase the question in this way: How are outlines usually organized? Since the ideas in outlines usually appear as main ideas and subordinate ideas, the answer is (D). The Praxis Study Companion 10

11 Step 2: Familiarize Yourself with Test Questions QUICK TIP: Don t be intimidated by words you may not understand. It might be easy to be thrown by words like recursive or inferential. Read carefully to understand the question and look for an answer that fits. An outline is something you are probably familiar with and expect to teach to your students. So slow down, and use what you know. Watch out for selected-response questions containing NOT, LEAST, and EXCEPT This type of question asks you to select the choice that does not fit. You must be very careful because it is easy to forget that you are selecting the negative. This question type is used in situations in which there are several good solutions or ways to approach something, but also a clearly wrong way. How to approach questions about graphs, tables, or reading passages When answering questions about graphs, tables, or reading passages, provide only the information that the questions ask for. In the case of a map or graph, you might want to read the questions first, and then look at the map or graph. In the case of a long reading passage, you might want to go ahead and read the passage first, noting places you think are important, and then answer the questions. Again, the important thing is to be sure you answer the questions as they refer to the material presented. So read the questions carefully. How to approach unfamiliar formats New question formats are developed from time to time to find new ways of assessing knowledge. Tests may include audio and video components, such as a movie clip or animation, instead of a map or reading passage. Other tests may allow you to zoom in on details in a graphic or picture. Tests may also include interactive questions. These questions take advantage of technology to assess knowledge and skills in ways that standard selected-response questions cannot. If you see a format you are not familiar with, read the directions carefully. The directions always give clear instructions on how you are expected to respond. QUICK TIP: Don t make the questions more difficult than they are. Don t read for hidden meanings or tricks. There are no trick questions on Praxis tests. They are intended to be serious, straightforward tests of your knowledge. Understanding Constructed-Response Questions Constructed-response questions require you to demonstrate your knowledge in a subject area by creating your own response to particular topics. Essays and short-answer questions are types of constructed-response questions. For example, an essay question might present you with a topic and ask you to discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the opinion stated. You must support your position with specific reasons and examples from your own experience, observations, or reading. Take a look at a few sample essay topics: Celebrities have a tremendous influence on the young, and for that reason, they have a responsibility to act as role models. We are constantly bombarded by advertisements on television and radio, in newspapers and magazines, on highway signs, and the sides of buses. They have become too pervasive. It s time to put limits on advertising. Advances in computer technology have made the classroom unnecessary, since students and teachers are able to communicate with one another from computer terminals at home or at work. The Praxis Study Companion 11

12 Step 2: Familiarize Yourself with Test Questions Keep these things in mind when you respond to a constructed-response question 1) Answer the question accurately. Analyze what each part of the question is asking you to do. If the question asks you to describe or discuss, you should provide more than just a list. 2) Answer the question completely. If a question asks you to do three distinct things in your response, you should cover all three things for the best score. Otherwise, no matter how well you write, you will not be awarded full credit. 3) Answer the question that is asked. Do not change the question or challenge the basis of the question. You will receive no credit or a low score if you answer another question or if you state, for example, that there is no possible answer. 4) Give a thorough and detailed response. You must demonstrate that you have a thorough understanding of the subject matter. However, your response should be straightforward and not filled with unnecessary information. 5) Reread your response. Check that you have written what you thought you wrote. Be sure not to leave sentences unfinished or omit clarifying information. QUICK TIP: You may find that it helps to take notes on scratch paper so that you don t miss any details. Then you ll be sure to have all the information you need to answer the question. For tests that have constructed-response questions, more detailed information can be found in 1. Learn About Your Test on page 5. The Praxis Study Companion 12

13 Step 3: Practice with Sample Test Questions 3. Practice with Sample Test Questions Answer practice questions and find explanations for correct answers Sample Test Questions The sample questions that follow illustrate the kinds of questions on the test. They are not, however, representative of the entire scope of the test in either content or difficulty. Answers with explanations follow the questions. Directions: Each question consists of a sentence that contains four underlined portions. Read each sentence and decide whether any of the underlined parts contains a grammatical construction, a word use, or an instance of incorrect or omitted punctuation or capitalization that would be inappropriate in carefully written English. If so, select the underlined portion that must be revised to produce a correct sentence. If there are no errors in the sentence as written, select No error, No sentence has more than one error. Remember, try to answer every question. Usage 1. On the computer screen you will see the following: The Praxis Study Companion 13

14 Step 3: Practice with Sample Test Questions The error in this sentence occurs in the third underlined choice. The phrase annually each year is redundant, since annually and each year convey the same information. The sentence would be correct with either annually or each year appearing in the third underlined choice. The error is one of diction, or word choice. The Praxis Study Companion 14

15 Step 3: Practice with Sample Test Questions 2. On the computer screen you will see the following: The error in this sentence occurs in the fourth underlined choice. The pronoun it is incorrectly used to refer to two nouns, country and time. The pronoun required here is the plural them. The Praxis Study Companion 15

16 Step 3: Practice with Sample Test Questions 3. On the computer screen you will see the following. The error occurs in the first underlined choice. In the phrase those who win, the pronoun those indicates the people who win prizes. But the magazine will not print the people who win; it will print what the winners have written, or the submissions of those who win prizes. The error in this question is the illogical use of a pronoun. Note that in the second underlined choice you are required to determine whether a punctuation mark the underlined semicolon is correct or incorrect. In this instance, the semicolon is used correctly. The Praxis Study Companion 16

17 Step 3: Practice with Sample Test Questions 4. On the computer screen you will see the following: Because this sentence contains no grammatical, idiomatic, logical, or structural errors, the best answer is No error. Note that in the second underlined choice you are required to determine whether the underlined letter a lowercase o needs to be capitalized, and that in the fourth underlined choice you are asked to determine whether the sentence requires some mark of punctuation in the underlined space. In this sentence, the use of the lowercase o is correct because ordinance is not a proper noun, and no comma is required after candles. The Praxis Study Companion 17

18 Step 3: Practice with Sample Test Questions Sentence Correction Directions: In each of the following sentences, some part of the sentence or the entire sentence is underlined. Beneath each sentence you will find five ways of writing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original, but the other four are all different. If you think the original sentence is better than any of the suggested changes, you should select the first answer choice; otherwise you should select one of the other choices. This is a test of correctness and effectiveness of expression. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of standard written English; i.e., pay attention to acceptable usage in grammar, diction (choice of words), sentence construction, and punctuation. Choose the answer that expresses most effectively what is presented in the original sentence; this answer should be clear and exact, without awkwardness, ambiguity, or redundancy. Remember, try to answer every question. 5. On the computer screen you will see the following: The Praxis Study Companion 18

19 Step 3: Practice with Sample Test Questions This sentence presents no problem of structure or logic. The verb tense is correct, and the use of the adverb passionately is also correct in this context. In the second choice and in the fifth choice, the verb form is correct, but the adjective passionate is incorrectly used instead of the adverb. The third and fourth choices use the correct adverb but use incorrect verb forms, did spoke out and has spoke out. Thus, the best answer is the first choice, spoke out passionately. The Praxis Study Companion 19

20 Step 3: Practice with Sample Test Questions 6. On the computer screen you will see the following: The problem in this sentence concerns parallelism and agreement in pronoun number. The underlined portion of the sentence uses the singular pronoun, one, which correctly agrees with its antecedent, consumer. However, in the portion of the sentence that is not underlined, the first person plural, we, is used as a subject in the second part of the sentence. To create a sentence free of agreement faults, you must look for a choice that contains both we and the plural of consumer. The last choice, As consumers, we can accept is the only one that corrects the agreement problem and has a phrase parallel to we can reject them, and is thus the correct answer. The Praxis Study Companion 20

21 Step 3: Practice with Sample Test Questions 7. On the computer screen you will see the following: The first choice presents two major problems: it is not a complete sentence, and the phrase without... hardly is not idiomatic. Although the second, third, and fourth choices are complete sentences, each uses hardly in an equally unidiomatic construction. The fifth choice, the best answer, is an idiomatic and complete sentence. The Praxis Study Companion 21

22 Step 3: Practice with Sample Test Questions Revision in Context Directions: The following passage is a draft of an essay. Some portions of the passage need to be strengthened through editing and revision. Read the passage and choose the best answers for the questions that follow. Some questions ask you to improve particular sentences or portions of sentences. In some cases, the indicated portion of the passage will be most effective as it is already expressed and thus will require no changes. In choosing answers, consider development, organization, word choice, style, and tone, and follow the requirements of standard written English. Remember, try to answer every question. 8. On the computer screen you will see the following: The Praxis Study Companion 22

23 Step 3: Practice with Sample Test Questions The third choice is the correct answer. The sentence that begins the second paragraph says that Payne s research did not begin in a conventional way (i.e., indoors in a laboratory). Sentence 5 continues along the same lines, stating that Payne was not working in her laboratory and was not engaged in methodical research. The third choice, In fact, is the best version of the underlined portion of sentence 5 because the phrase indicates in an emphatic way that what Payne was doing was unorthodox and unconventional compared to traditional scientific inquiry. The Praxis Study Companion 23

24 Step 3: Practice with Sample Test Questions 9. On the computer screen you will see the following: The fourth choice is the correct answer. This question requires the candidate to combine two sentences to avoid the redundant use of zoo. The fourth choice zoo, where she accomplishes this in an economical way, is grammatically correct, and fits the logic of the context of the second paragraph. The Praxis Study Companion 24

25 Step 3: Practice with Sample Test Questions 10. On the computer screen you will see the following: The first choice is the correct answer. Sentence 12 begins with the pronoun It, which here does not have a clear referent: there is no singular noun in the preceding sentence to which It unambiguously and directly refers. Replacing the vague pronoun with This insight, which refers to Payne s realization that the vibrations that accompany elephant interactions are actually important, results in a clear and easily interpreted statement. The Praxis Study Companion 25

26 Step 3: Practice with Sample Test Questions 11. On the computer screen you will see the following: The fifth choice is the correct answer. The last paragraph describes the unconventional way in which Payne made her ground-breaking discovery and then adds that Payne ultimately did use ordinary laboratory resources. The fifth choice, But Payne s journey of discovery had started with just a trip to the zoo and an open mind, best concludes the last paragraph by returning to and restating the main theme: the discovery Payne made was the result not of what many people think of as formal scientific research but rather of curiosity, openness to experience, and readiness to follow her inklings without a predetermined goal. The Praxis Study Companion 26

27 Step 3: Practice with Sample Test Questions Research Skills Directions: The following questions are a test of your familiarity with basic research skills. For each question, choose the best answer. Remember, try to answer every question. 12. On the computer screen you will see the following: The Praxis Study Companion 27

28 Step 3: Practice with Sample Test Questions The second choice is the correct answer. The most important reason to review the references in a research article is to find additional sources on the topic. Although a reference list might be used to check that the authors did their own research or to verify that the authors did not cite themselves, the former goal is better achieved through other means while the latter is not a major concern as one writes a research paper. The most appropriate resource for learning to write citations correctly would be a style guide, not a reference list. Finally, one would review references in a research article to identify sources that one might read to obtain additional information on the topic, not to avoid reading other sources. The Praxis Study Companion 28

29 Step 3: Practice with Sample Test Questions Sample Test Questions - Argumentative Essay This section presents an argumentative topic and sample responses along with the standards used in scoring the argumentative essays. When you read these sample responses, keep in mind that they will be less polished than if they had been developed at home, edited, and carefully presented. The examinee does not know what question will be asked and must decide, on the spot, how to respond. Readers take these circumstances into account when scoring the essays; they have been trained to judge the overall quality rather than to attempt to count errors. Each essay is scored holistically, on the basis of its total quality. In computing your total Core Academic Skills for Educators: Writing score, the scores for both the argumentative and explanatory essays are combined with the score for the selected-response part of the Writing test. Readers assign scores for the argumentative essay based on the following scoring guide. Scoring Guide for Argumentative Essay Score of 6 A 6 essay demonstrates a high degree of competence in response to the assignment but may have a few minor errors. An essay in this category: states or clearly implies the writer s position or thesis organizes and develops ideas logically, making insightful connections between them clearly explains key ideas, supporting them with well-chosen reasons, examples, or details displays effective sentence variety clearly displays facility in the use of language is generally free from errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics Score of 5 A 5 essay demonstrates clear competence in response to the assignment but may have minor errors. An essay in this category: states or clearly implies the writer s position or thesis organizes and develops ideas clearly, making connections between them explains key ideas, supporting them with relevant reasons, examples, or details displays some sentence variety displays facility in the use of language is generally free from errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics Score of 4 A 4 essay demonstrates competence in response to the assignment. An essay in this category: states or implies the writer s position or thesis shows control in the organization and development of ideas explains some key ideas, supporting them with adequate reasons, examples, or details displays adequate use of language shows control of grammar, usage, and mechanics, but may display errors The Praxis Study Companion 29

30 Step 3: Practice with Sample Test Questions Score of 3 A 3 essay demonstrates some competence in response to the assignment but is obviously flawed. An essay in this category reveals one or more of the following weaknesses: limited in stating or implying a position or thesis limited control in the organization and development of ideas inadequate reasons, examples, or details to explain key ideas an accumulation of errors in the use of language an accumulation of errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics Score of 2 A 2 essay is seriously flawed. An essay in this category reveals one or more of the following weaknesses: no clear position or thesis weak organization or very little development few or no relevant reasons, examples, or details frequent serious errors in the use of language frequent serious errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics Score of 1 A 1 essay demonstrates fundamental deficiencies in writing skills. An essay in this category: contains serious and persistent writing errors or is incoherent or is undeveloped The Praxis Study Companion 30

31 Step 3: Practice with Sample Test Questions Sample Argumentative Essay Topic On the computer screen will you see the following: The essay topic will appear on the top half of the computer screen. You will compose and type your response to the topic on the bottom half of the computer screen. Directions: You will have 30 minutes to plan and write an argumentative essay on the topic presented above. The essay will be based on your own reading, experience, or observations. Read the topic carefully. You will probably find it best to spend a little time considering the topic and organizing your thoughts before you begin writing. DO NOT WRITE ON A TOPIC OTHER THAN THE ONE SPECIFIED. Essays on topics of your own choice will not be acceptable. In order for your test to be scored, your responses must be in English. The essay questions are included in this test to give you an opportunity to demonstrate how well you can write. You should, therefore, take care to write clearly and effectively, using specific examples where appropriate. Remember that how well you write is much more important than how much you write, but to cover the topic adequately, you will probably need to write more than one paragraph. Sample Argumentative Essay That Received a Score of 6 I agree wholeheartedly that Minimum-wage employers take advantage of people because they need a job. Given the existing high unemployment rates in today s economy, people do not have as much power to negotiate for reasonable pay. Thus, they are at the mercy of employers who seize the opportunity to line their own pockets while underpaying their workers. Since all jobs necessitate the mastery of certain skills, and involve responsibility and effort on the part of employees, laws governing minimum wages should be evaluated frequently and government should intervene to make sure that employers are not being taken advantage of. All work is worthwhile and valuable; workers should be treated with dignity and respect and paid appropriately. Having said that, however, I strongly disagree with the rest of the statement, especially the claim that Minimum-wage jobs are a ticket to nowhere. Most people s introduction to the workforce is through a minimum-wage job; we all have to start somewhere and we are unlikely to begin our working lives with high salaries. Granted, minimum-wage jobs often do involve tasks that are boring and repetitive but that doesn t mean these tasks teach employees little or nothing. Our first jobs actually teach us a lot about the workforce and how to conduct ourselves at work. For example, my first job was a minimum-wage office job. Because I thought the job wasn t that complicated, I initially didn t pay attention to what I was doing and, as a result, found myself making mistakes. I neglected to follow procedures or proofread my work and I found that I wasn t doing a good job. Ultimately I realized that no matter how menial a task may seem, it was still vital for me to focus on what I was doing and to do my best. I learned that in order to succeed at any kind of job, I had to make an effort and work hard. So while it may not have been that important for me to know how to fill out a travel voucher without errors, it was imperative for me to learn that I couldn t approach work with a lackadaisical attitude and expect to succeed. That was a very crucial, lifelong lesson for me. I learned other important lessons as well. I learned to be punctual, to get up and go to work day after day, to persevere and troubleshoot, and to cooperate with others. I became adept at communicating with my boss and negotiating with my co-workers. Best of all, I learned that work could be very gratifying when things went well and that it was a pleasure to have co-workers to collaborate with on projects. Minimum-wage jobs are like apprenticeships for the work world. You may not spend the rest of your life making hamburgers or typing letters but the general work skills you master teach you how to become a productive member of the workforce for the rest of your life. The Praxis Study Companion 31

32 Step 3: Practice with Sample Test Questions Comments on Sample Argumentative Essay that Received a Score of 6 This highly competent response begins by agreeing with the last part of the prompt, situating it in the current economy, whose high unemployment rates guarantee that people do not have as much power to negotiate for reasonable pay. The essay continues its argument by stating that minimum wage laws should be evaluated frequently and that governments should oversee the labor market to make sure employees are not being exploited. The essay, however, then shifts its focus to disagree with the rest of the prompt, which argues that minimum-wage jobs are a ticket to nowhere and teach employees little or nothing of value. After deftly conceding that some minimum wage jobs are often boring and repetitive, the writer presents a clear thesis at the end of the second paragraph: Our first jobs actually teach us a lot about the workforce and how to conduct ourselves at work. Using the well-chosen example of the writer s own first job, the essay effectively develops the main idea by enumerating the lifelong lessons the writer learned there, beginning with the writer s initial mistake of regarding the job as uncomplicated, and thereby undeserving of proper attention and hard work. In discussing this misapprehension, the essay insightfully links the writer s attitude with the one expressed in the prompt, which it then refutes. Through detailed examples, such as filling out a travel voucher, the response explains how the writer s initial failures led to the valuable lesson that I couldn t approach work with a lackadaisical attitude and expect to succeed. The final paragraph continues with other lessons the writer learned from this first job before concluding that minimum-wage jobs are like apprenticeships for the work world. This statement reiterates the response s thesis that, far from being worthless, minimum-wage jobs actually teach you how to become a productive member of the workforce for the rest of your life. The essay s final sentence effectively reinforces the main argument, which has been highlighted throughout this highly organized response. In addition to being free from grammatical, usage, or mechanical errors, the essay displays clear facility with language and effective variation in sentence structure. These qualities, along with the wellorganized structure of the response and the indepth development of its key idea with a wellchosen example and details, are more than enough to merit a score of 6. The Praxis Study Companion 32

33 Step 3: Practice with Sample Test Questions Minimum-wage jobs are a ticket to nowhere. They are boring and repetitive and teach employees little or nothing of value. Minimumwage employers take advantage of people because they need a job. Sample Argumentative Essay That Received a Score of 5 I disagree with the position taken in the statement above. We all have to start working at some point in our lives, and especially if we start working while still in high-school or before obtaining an advanced level of education, we will most likely start in a minimum wage job. These jobs, while low-paying, provide a necessary training ground for those new to the world of work and provide the base for developing skills in working that we will need later in life. One of my co-workers provided the best example of using a minimum-wage job to develop skills in a way that benefitted both the employee and the employer. Her younger brother, who was still in high school, was very excited about getting his first job at McDonalds. My coworker simply saw this as a way for him to pick up a little money to help with his expenses and support some of her brother s teenage pleasures. He, on the other hand, was looking at this job as the start of a career path. Explaining McDonald s emphasis on training entry level workers and recruiting from within for management positions, her brother saw himself as eventually managing a restaurant, a region, or even becoming a franchise owner. Clearly for him, his first minimum-wage job was not a ticket to nowhere, and his employer, rather than taking advantage of him, was helping him to develop for better things. Likewise, a number of other minimum-wage jobs provide stepping off points for other careers. Nurses aides may be inspired to go to school to become future nurses. Daycare assistants or preschool teachers may find that their love of working with children will propel them to study education and become teachers, counselors, or administrators of programs that provide services for children. Even for those who are not planning a higher level of education or who may decide to do something else, the minimum-wage job will allow them to develop their skills and find out if they really enjoy what they are doing. Sometimes, high school students decide they want to go to college to major in a particular area, but they really don t understand what the job market will be for that area. A carefully selected minimum-wage job could help a student decide that he/she really hates the area before it is too late to change their major. One other point also needs to be made about minimum-wage jobs: someone has to do them and it is not just the employers who gain. As all of us go about our daily lives, we need cashiers, waitresses, janitors, restaurant workers, garbage collectors, nannies, and the varied assortment of low level factory workers and technicians that make our world operate. These are the people we rarely recognise, but if we tried to go without them, either the costs that we pay would rise significantly or we would do without a lot of the things we have today. Overall, mimimum-wage jobs, provide the base for our society. Comments on Sample Argumentative Essay that Received a Score of 5 This response opens with a clear statement disagreeing with the prompt and explains that minimum-wage jobs provide a necessary training ground for new workers along with the base for developing skills in working that we will need later in life. Making a direct connection with the idea of developing skills, the response provides a personal example that counters several of the prompt s claims and demonstrates that employees can benefit from minimum-wage jobs without being taken advantage of. This specific example is then used to make a generalization about other minimum-wage jobs that may help to prepare workers for other careers or allow them to make informed choices about careers. In the final paragraph, the response approaches the argument in a slightly different way, noting that someone has to do minimum-wage jobs and that it is the general public, and not just an employer, that benefits from having cashiers, waitresses, janitors,... and the varied assortment of low level factory workers and technicians that make our world operate. This portion of the response is less developed than the position presented in the first three paragraphs, but the ideas are still clearly connected and relevant. Throughout the response there is a clear line of organization and ideas are clearly connected. Examples are relevant, but not necessarily insightful. Sentences are varied, and the response verges on some effective sentence use, but it is not consistent. Language facility is certainly more than adequate, but the response lacks the vocabulary and effective use of language that would characterize a response scored at the 6 level. The response is generally free of errors, but does contain a few grammar or mechanical errors. The Praxis Study Companion 33

34 Step 3: Practice with Sample Test Questions Sample Argumentative Essay That Received a Score of 2 Comments on Sample Argumentative Essay that Received a Score of 2 Minimum-wage jobs are a ticket to nowhere. They are boring and repetitive and teach little or nothing of value. Minimum-wage employers take advantage of people because they need a job. When I worked at a fast food restaurant at the mall I received minimum wage. All they do is see how much work they can get out of you for as little pay as possible. Many minimum-wage employers are harder on you in places like that than they are at high paying jobs. Yes, minimum-wage jobs are boring because you do the same thing over and over which means that you learn little skill from working there. This response, while relatively error-free, has very little development. The first paragraph, which appears to indicate agreement with the position given in the prompt, merely repeats the prompt and provides no other development. The second paragraph adds to that by noting that the writer worked at a fast food restaurant for minimum wage, but then mostly repeats the same ideas included in the prompt without providing much in the way of reasons, examples, or details. Without further development, it cannot be scored higher than a 2. The Praxis Study Companion 34